


The Bath

by FishEyenoMiko



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bathing/Washing, Bathtubs, Depression, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-16
Updated: 2013-02-16
Packaged: 2017-11-29 11:26:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/686438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FishEyenoMiko/pseuds/FishEyenoMiko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John helps Sherlock take a bath.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bath

John came home, walking into the kitchen and opening the fridge--carefully--to see what there was to eat. He saw that there was some curry chicken left. He could add a little more rice and chicken and they'd have plenty for dinner. He took the chicken out of the freezer and put it in the fridge to thaw. That taken care of, he walked into the sitting room. Sherlock was lying on the couch, the same place he'd been when John left that morning. John sighed. He was partially annoyed, but he was mostly sympathetic. He walked over, kneeling next to the couch so he could look Sherlock in the eye.

"Hey, there." 

Sherlock rolled over.

"Look, I know you're having a bad day-"

" _Days_."

"Pardon?"

"I've had several bad days. In a row."

"All right," John replied. "But you need to eat, and have a bath."

Silence.

Reaching forward, John ran his fingers through Sherlock's hair, then rubbed his back. Sherlock stiffened but didn't pull away.

"Sherlock, I really think a nice warm bath would make you feel a little better."

"Fine," said Sherlock brusquely. He stood up, stepped over the coffee table, and began stalking toward the door.

John got up and followed him, gently grabbing his arm. "Sherlock, please..." he sighed. "I know it's hard for you, when there's no cases and nothing for you to do. I'm just... I'm trying to help."

Sherlock took a deep breath. "I know."

"Come on," John said, as he pulled him along, up the steps to the bathroom, "I'll draw you a warm bath, and I'll wash your back and your hair for you."

"That _does_ sound nice," Sherlock conceded.

 

Sherlock got undressed as John adjusted the temperature of the water coming out of the tap.

"There, I think that'll do it," he said. He noticed Sherlock giving him a look, "What is it?"

"You should get undressed, too."

"Are you afraid my clothes will get wet, or do you just want to see me naked?"

"Both."

John laughed, "Fair enough." He undressed as Sherlock eased himself into the tub.

"How is it?"

"Wet." Sherlock slid down, bending his knees and lying down on the bottom of the slowly filling tub.

John shook his head. "No, c'mon... we're not doing this tonight, Sherlock. Sit up." 

John had once come into the bathroom to see his flat mate in the tub, underwater. For a horrible moment he thought Sherlock had managed to drown himself, and felt a mix of relief and anger when it turned out he was simply testing to see how long he could hold his breath underwater.

Sherlock sat up, scooting back and leaning against the back of the tub.

"Thank you," said John, handing Sherlock a flannel.

 

Sherlock slowly washed his arms, legs, and torso. His slowness was part lethargy and part enjoyment of the warm, soapy water. John sat on a towel next to the tub, letting Sherlock take his time. He was glad to see that Sherlock was relaxed and happy, and wished he knew a way to make it last.

"Don't pity me," Sherlock said with a sneer.

"I'm not-"

"Yes you are. I don't even have to see your face to know. I can feel it oozing out of you like a malodorous pus."

"That's... a rather unpleasant image."

"Good, that's what I was going for."

John groaned in frustration. 

"No, don't... don't do that..." Sherlock lay back in the tub, covering his face with his hands. "Ignore me, John. I'm just in a bad mood, and I'm taking it out on you." He sighed. "Thirty seconds."

"What?" asked John, but the answer came as Sherlock slipped under the water. John sighed and looked at his watch. Sure enough, thirty seconds after he went under, Sherlock popped out of the water. He shook his head, water flying from his wet hair.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud!" John put his hands to shield himself.

Sherlock grinned at him. Then he held out the flannel. "I recall you saying you'd wash my back."

John nodded. "And your hair; hand me the shampoo." Sherlock did so, and John moved to the end of the tub, getting up on his knees. He washed Sherlock's back slowly, giving him a bit of a light massage as he did. Sherlock let out a sigh.

"John..."

"Does that feel good?"

"Yes... it always feels good when you touch me."

Smiling, John leaned forward and down, kissing Sherlock lightly on the neck. Sherlock leaned back onto John's shoulder. They stayed like that for a bit, just relaxing and enjoying the feel of each other.

"I need to wash your hair," said John softly. Reluctantly, Sherlock sat back up.

John squeezed some shampoo onto his hands and worked it into a lather. Then he began to run his fingers through Sherlock's hair. He gently scraped his nails against his lover's scalp, causing him to shudder with pleasure.

"After we eat," John said as he began to massage Sherlock's scalp, "You wanna come up and sleep with me?" 

"You wanna have sex?"

John shook his head. "I was thinking we could just sleep together, ya know, in the literal sense. But if you'd like to have sex, that would be okay, too." 

"Sex might be nice..."

John smiled. "Let's just play it by ear."

"All right."

John continued to rub Sherlock's scalp for a few minutes, working slowly from his forehead to his nape. Finally, he moved his hands away, earning a little moan of displeasure from Sherlock.

"Sorry, love." 

"It's fine." Sherlock slid forward. He took the cup they kept near the tub and filled it from the tap. Sliding back, he passed it back to John. Then he covered his eyes and tilted his head back. John poured the water over Sherlock's hair, then squeezed the excess water out of it, along with most of the shampoo.

"Here, I need a little more," John said, handing the cup back to Sherlock. 

John poured another cup of water over Sherlock's hair, enough to rinse out rest of the shampoo.

"There we go," he said.

Sherlock used his right big toe to push up the lever to the tub drain. John got up and got Sherlock a towel. Sherlock stayed in the tub for a bit longer, though, watching the water go down the drain. Finally he stepped out, and John wrapped the towel around him.

"Let me go get you some pyjamas," said John, getting dressed.

"Okay."

 

John came back into the bathroom carrying some clean pyjamas. Sherlock was sitting on the toilet still wrapped in the towel. Getting a smaller towel off one of the racks, John dried the man's hair a bit.

"Okay, here ya go," said John, handing Sherlock his pyjamas. "I'm going to go start dinner. Take your time, I have to fix the chicken and rice, so it'll be a few minutes."

"Okay," said Sherlock. "John?"

"Yes?" 

"Thank you."

John smiled, then headed down to the kitchen to make dinner.


End file.
